The British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria has called for making Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles the foundation for Nigeria’s industrial and economic transformation.
This call was made recently by Director, External Affairs, BAT West and Central Africa, Ms. Odiri Erewa-Meggison, at the Green Business Breakfast Meeting, which was held at the John Randle Centre in Onikan, Lagos.
Erewa-Meggison said that BAT’s longstanding commitment to ESG should serve as a call to every stakeholder to champion a future where profitability aligns with purpose.
She highlighted the urgency of confronting climate change through practical collaboration, shared responsibility, and long-term thinking.
She also emphasised that BAT’s resolve to drive sustainability is more than a corporate policy, saying it is a cultural imperative that is deeply rooted in the company’s vision to build “A Better Tomorrow.”
Central to this vision is BAT Nigeria’s co-convening of the ESG Forum, a pioneering multi-sector platform that has, over the past two years, grown into Nigeria’s leading private-sector-led ESG advocacy and action group.
Now in its third edition, the ESG Forum is providing a space for diverse stakeholders to bridge the knowledge gap in sustainability practices, foster meaningful partnerships, and drive measurable impact across industries.
One of the Forum’s most transformative achievements is the launch of the Young Professionals Fellowship (YPF), a six-month mentorship programme that equips rising talents with the skills and exposure needed to lead in the evolving ESG landscape.
According to Erewa-Meggison, initiatives like the YPF are vital in closing the talent deficit Nigeria faces in its green economy transition.
She reaffirmed BAT Nigeria’s deepening commitment to environmental and operational sustainability, citing the company’s zero-waste-to-landfill status at all operational sites, ongoing water recycling processes, and its trajectory towards achieving 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.
She also noted BAT’s exemplary workplace safety record, zero lost-time incidents since 2021, as proof that environmental integrity and employee well-being are not mutually exclusive.
Erewa-Meggison also celebrated the alignment between Lagos State’s climate strategy and BAT Nigeria’s ESG vision.
She described the ESG Forum as a living laboratory where private innovation meets public ambition, and reiterated BAT’s readiness to collaborate on clean energy initiatives, ESG up skilling, and circular economy innovations that are inclusive and future-ready.
“This is no longer about ticking boxes. It’s about building an ecosystem where ESG becomes the foundation of competitive, responsible, and regenerative enterprise in Nigeria,” she said.
Addressing the audience, which included top policymakers, impact investors, and climate advocates, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Ms. Titi Oshodi, also echoed Erewa-Meggison’s call for action, commending BAT Nigeria and other corporate partners for moving beyond rhetoric to tangible action.
Oshodi said: “We are not just building a climate strategy; we are building a green economy. What BAT and the ESG Forum represent is the kind of bold thinking and deep commitment that Lagos State needs to advance our climate goals. From green bonds to clean cookstoves, our policies are designed to support businesses that dare to lead with purpose.”
She emphasised that Lagos is already at the forefront of climate innovation in Africa, adding that the state’s ₦14.815 billion Green Bond and the 80 Million Clean Cook Stove Project would provide clean energy to underserved households, create jobs and reducing emissions.
Deliverig the keynote speech, the Chairman of Lambeth Capital and a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Tunde Lemo, stressed the financial value of sustainability in an address titled “The Urgency of Now.”
Lemo argued that climate action is no longer a moral obligation alone, adding it is an untapped economic opportunity.
He said: “Carbon is now an asset class,” he declared. “Through the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, Nigeria has the capacity to earn billions annually from compliance-grade carbon credits. Projects like the 80 Million Clean Cook Stoves are not charity; they are climate-smart, finance-backed models that can deliver two times annual ROI for investors.”
Lemo challenged both regulators and investors to prioritise PACM-aligned projects that link Nigeria’s environmental policies to sovereign carbon markets.
He called on financial institutions to develop climate-specific investment tools and risk guarantees that would accelerate green entrepreneurship and infrastructure.
